Multicast and broadcast Service (MCBCS) is an optional feature, which refers to a network's ability to provide flexible and efficient mechanisms of sending common (the same) information content to multiple users using shared radio resources. When available and appropriate, this may use the MBS framework of the IEEE 802.16e standard. The MBS framework may be used to offer real-time streaming applications or non-real time file transfer/download for store and play usage. The type of information transmitted may be any type of data, e.g., text, multimedia (e.g., voice), and streaming media. The MBS may deliver content to MBS user groups, based on local policy and subscription. The multicast groups membership can be static or dynamic in that users can join and leave groups at any time. By using multicast and broadcast services, it will greatly save resources and by supporting macro diversity and the ability of the mobile station (MS) to receive data while in an idle mode, the MS may reduce power requirements.
In order to support multicast and broadcast service (MCBCS) with macro diversity supported, and also a MS can receive data during the idle mode, the following mapping and delivery mechanisms are flexible and necessary for a MS to receive data while giving an operator greater flexibility to control the contents.